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Plan B

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

While I was with my parents last week, we laughed about how many times we had to go to Plan B. Mostly it was because of the heat.

Plan A - picnic in the park

Too hot, way too hot.

Plan B - picnic at the ice skating rink

Plan A - run by grocery store on the way home

Store is dark, transformer blew.

Plan B - drive on to another grocery store

Plan A - family photo shoot in the yard

Our fake, sweaty smiles looked, well, fake and sweaty.

Plan B - try again the next day, inside

Plan A - a post about a green-living book

Still halfway written. Still not right.

Plan B - this post

Thank goodness for Plan B, right?

Well, I’m a Plan A sort of person. I have a way that I like to do things, and I tend to think that my way is best. I want things done when I want them done. I don't want to move on to Plan B. I just want Plan A to work! I will eventually bend, but only when pushed. I’m not naturally flexible.

And yet, I must bend. Power outages, weather patterns, writer's block, and other circumstances outside my control constantly tell me, Bend. Yield.

The Bible says, "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." Proverbs 19:9

I plan, but the Lord determines. I may chart my course, but there are many ways to get there. The Lord determines my steps.

After reading that I realized that I often think of Plan B as "less" because it wasn't my original idea. That is wrong. Plan B isn't less; it is just different. An alternate route. Something new. Maybe even, better.

I can think of another time when I planned something one way, and it turned out different: my first legal job. I got scores of rejection letters. I went through Plans A-K at least. Coveted firm, after coveted firm, off the list. Interview after interview - exhausting. And then, finally, I got one yes. One yes, and I was down to . . . Plan L. Plan L, which taught me so much, introduced me to great friends, and which still puts up with me today, on a part time basis. Plan L turned out to be perfect for me.

What about you? Do you find it easy, or hard, to go with Plan B? Did you ever have a Plan B that turned out better than your Plan A?

Would love to hear your thoughts. . . .

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7 Responses to “Plan B”

Courtney,When I read this blog (and your family one too), I feel like I am reading about myself ~ this post is ME! If it weren't for Plan B, I wouldn't have taught 5th grade for 10 wonderful years (a TOTAL PLAN B for even majoring in ed much less actually using it to teach), met and married my kind, patient, and super flexible husband, and I certainly wouldn't be where I am today in my life. My Plan A would've had a similiar outcome (definitely not as blissful), but I learned a long time ago that I am much better for having had to take the Plan B route. Another gentle reminder (you'd think I would get that by now!!) that the Big Man Upstairs really does know what's best for us even when we have everything mapped out. I hope I get to meet you someday! Your MWF posts are my morning coffee and alone time before my daughter wakes for the day! Love them! Oh, sorry for being so corny there! Anne :)

I love this post, and I love Anne's comment. Even though I don't personally know Anne, I like her a lot! Another great Bible passage on this topic came to mind: James 4: 13 - 15. I must quote it, it's so good, from the New King James Version:

13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”

I always tell myself that "I plan and God laughs." It's so true with small children (and in life really.) It took me awhile to embrace plans B through Z, but I finally am appreciative of the fact that I know nothing and God knows best :)

And I have to say, Mrs. Armstrong, that having roomed with Anne in college, she is great :)

Oh how I have missed reading this blog!! Like Anne, I so often feel that you're putting me in writing. I hope to be checking in a little more often as we get some sort of routine in order around here. Can't wait to go back and read Out of the Routine and the Finding Time series. They sound way too familiar!

Oh how I have missed reading this blog!! Like Anne, I so often feel that you're putting me in writing. I hope to be checking in a little more often as we get some sort of routine in order around here. Can't wait to go back and read Out of the Routine and the Finding Time series. They sound way too familiar!

I love this post, and I love Anne's comment. Even though I don't personally know Anne, I like her a lot! Another great Bible passage on this topic came to mind: James 4: 13 - 15. I must quote it, it's so good, from the New King James Version:

13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”